Sole-fitting machine



Dec. 3,1929. H. A. BALLARD SOLE FITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20. 192'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 3, 1929. H. A. BALLARD I SOLE FITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1927 4 SheetsfSheet 2 Dec. 3, 1929. H. A. BALLARD SOLE FITTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 20, 1927 Dec. 3; 1929. H. A. BALLARD 1,737,698

SOLE FITTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 20, 1927 Patented Dec. 3, 1929 NHTEE STATES PATET OFFEQE HARBIE A. BALLARD, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY SOLE-FITTING MACHINE Application filed January 20, 1927. Serial No. 162,382.

formed along the bottom of the channel to receive the line of stitching which is to se cure the sole to the upper. Because of difliculty in properly forming the stitch-receiving groove at the point of the toe the grooving tool is often held out of the work While the toe is being channeled. Thus no groove is provided at the toe to receive the stitches and as a result the stitching has to be discontinued at the toe and other fastenings, such as nails or staples, are employed to secure the sole to the upper at this part of the shoe. If the nailing or stapling at'the toe is to be performed before the stitching along the rest i of the sole margin it is important to have the ends of the stitch-receiving grooves located with exactness at both sides of the toe since the ends of the grooves serve to gage the points at which the stitching should be stopped and started to avoid having the needle of the sewing machine run into the tacks or staples. If, however, the toe of the sole is to be nailed or staple-d to the upper after the rest of the sole has been sewed to the upper it is important that the stitchreceiving grooves shall extend into the area through which the nails or staples are to be driven to insure that the ends of the lines of stitching will be locked by the nails or staples. In practice, most machines for channeling outsoles for McKay sewed shoes are provided with means whereby the grooving tool may be lifted clear of the Work and later lowered into operative position at the Will of the operator by the actuation of a foot treadle.

This not only involves additional work for the operator but inasmuch as the sole is usually fed through the-machine quite rapidly it is a diflicult matter accurately to determine just when to lift and when to lower the grooving tool to insure the location of the ends of the groove at the desired points with respect to the tip of the toe.

In View of the foregoing, one object of the present invention is to relieve the operator of the necessity of manually raising and lowering the grooving tool as Well as the necessity of carefully gaging the time of such operations while yet insuring that the ends of the stitch-receiving grooves shall be located uniformly at exactly the desired distances from the tip of the toe in all soles.

To the accomplishment of this object provision has been made for automatically raising and lowering the grooving tool at such points in relation to the tip of the toe of a sole as may be desired. In one aspect the invention consists in the provision of means controlled by the work for rendering ineffective an operating instrumentality of a sole fitting machine while a predetermined portion of the margin of a sole blank is being fed past the operating instrumentality. In the illustrated-machine a grooving tool, normally located in the path of feed of a sole, is adapted to be raised above the sole to end the groove at one side of the toe of the sole and later to be lowered into the path of feed of the sole to start the grooving operation again at the other side of the toe. The raising and lowering of the grooving tool is arranged to be effected by a cam which is loosely mounted on a power-driven shaft and means is provided for clutching the cam to-the shaft when it is time to stop the grooving operation. As soon as the cam is clutched to the shaft it operates to raise the grooving tool out of the sole and it permits the grooving tool to be returned to lowered position after the toe of the sole has been fed past the grooving tool so as to form a groove at the other side of the toe. The means for clutching the cam to the shaft in the illustrated machine comprises mechanism controlled by a feeler yieldingly held against the surface of the sole in advance of the grooving tool and adapted to drop below the plane of said surface when the toe end of the sole is fed from beneath the feeler. The feeler is made adjustable toward and from the grooving tool to vary the point in the sole margin at which the groove is to be terminated at the side of the toe first operated upon. The cam is shaped to time the lowering of the grooving tool so that it will begin its operation again at a desired distance from the toe at the side of the sole which is last to be operated upon. To adapt the machine for different conditions of work and for operation upon soles of different styles and sizes, the cam is made of sections which are relatively adjustable so that the contour of the cam may be varied at will to vary the length of time the grooving tool is maintained inoperative and thus to vary the distance between the ends of the groove at opposite sides of the toe. I

The invention further consists in features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed the advantages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a View in front elevation, partly broken away, of a channeling machine in which the present invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a view, in end elevation and on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1, showing the groove-forming tool in raised or inoperative position;

Fig. 3 is a detail view in side elevation of the adjustable cam and associated parts;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3 but viewed from the opposite side;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2, various parts of the mechanism being disassembled better to reveal their construction;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view through the cam and associated parts; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are views similar to Fig. 2 but showing different positions of the. operating parts ofthe machine.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is therein illustrated as embodied in a channeling machine of the type disclosed in a co-pending application, Serial No. 740,100, filed September 26, 1924, in the name of IV. C. Meyer, and reference may be had to this application for an understanding of any details of construction not herein specifically described. In common with the machine of the application referred to, the illustrated machine comprises a main or lower frame 12 (Fig. 11) and an upper frame or head 14 which is pivoted to the main frame at 16. A main shaft 18 journaled in the frame 12 isadapted to be connected by operator-controlled clutch mechanism 20 with a powerdriven pulley 22 which is loosely mounted on the main shaft. gears 24, 26, rotation is transmitted from the main shaft 18 to a horizontal shaft 28 which is journaled' in the frame 12 above the main shaft and has fixedly secured to Through intermeshing its forward end a work supporting feed wheel 80. An edge gage 32 in the form of a roll is also carried by the main frame 12. The head 14 has journaled therein a third horizontal shaft 34 which is driven from the feed wheel shaft 28 by means of a gear 36 arranged to mesh with the gear 20. Secured directly to the upper frame or head 14 by means of screws 88 (see also Fig. 6) is a presser foot 40 arranged to engage the upper surface of the work. The operating instrumentalities of the machine comprise a channel knife 42 and a grooving tool or knife 44 (see Figs. 2 and 5). The channel knife 42 is carried by a slide 46 (Fig. 1)

which is mounted in a vertical guideway on i the head 14 and is spring-pressed downwardly. The grooving tool or knife 44, as shown in Fig. 2, is carried by a knife block 48 2) which is carried, with suitable I provision for adjustment, by means of a slide 50 which is mounted for vertical movement relatively to the head 14, the slide 50 being pressed downwardly by a spring 52 interposed between the top of the slide and a lug on the head 14.

All of the parts thus far described are of substantially the same construction and, with the exception of the grooving knife, they are all operated in substantially the same manner as that fully described in the co-pending application above referred to. In the machine disclosed in said application an upper feed wheel is secured to the shaft which is j ournaled in the head 14 and treadle-operated mechanism is provided for lifting the grooving knife out of engagement with'the work. In the illustrated machine no upper feed wheel is employed, the presser foot 40 serving to maintain the work in feeding engagement with the feed wheel 30, and automatic mechanism is employed, instead of treadle-controlled mechanism, for raising and lowering the grooving knife.

This automatic mechanism includes a cam 56 which is loosely mounted on the shaft 34 and is normally idle but which is adapted to be clutched to the shaft when the groove in the sole has been cut to'a point located at the desired distance from the toe end of the sole. This stage in the grooving operation is determined by the action of a feeler 58 adapted yieldingly to engage and ride along the upper surface of the sole in advance of the grooving tool and at a distance therefrom equal to the distance from the toe end of the sole at which it is'desired to terminate the groove. WVith this arrangement the feeler will drop below the plane of the sole during the advance of the latter, when the toe end of the sole is withdrawn from beneath the feeler.

The rotation of the cam 56, after it has been clutched to the driven shaft 34, causes the grooving tool to be first raised and later lowered through connections comprising a sllde 60 which carries a cam roll 62 arranged to ride over the periphery of the cam. The sllde 60 is mounted in a vertical guideway formed in a frame part 64 that is rigidly secured to the head 14. At its upper end, as shown in Fig. 2, the slide 60 carries a laterally ofi'set arm 66 which is yoked to straddle a bolt 68 which extends through the lug 54 and through the convolutions of the spring 52 and is screw threaded into the slide 50 which carries the grooving tool. The arm 66 engages the lower side of a head 70 on the bolt- 68, thus supporting the slide 50 against the force of the spring 52 and serving to raise the slide against the action of the spring in unison with the upward movements of the cam-actuated slide 60. The spring 52 serves tohold the cam roll 62 against the cam 56 and it also acts to lower the slide 50 to return the grooving tool into position to continue its grooving action at the other side of the toe.

The cam 56 is adapted to be clutched to or connected with the driven shaft 34 by means of a pawl 74 pivoted at 76 to the inner side of the cam 56 and arranged to engagethe teeth of a ratchet wheel 78 which is located behind the cam and is keyed to the driven shaft 34. As shown in Fig. 6, the ratchet wheel 78 is located in a recess 80 in the lower end of the frame part 64, the recess having a cylindrical wall 82 (Fig. 5) which, by engagement with the outer edge of the pawl 74, serves to maintain the pawl in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 7 8 during one revolution of the shaft 34. The wall 82 is formed with a depression 84 (Fig. 5) at its lowest point to permit outward swinging of the pawl so that it may be disengaged from the ratchet Wheel after the cam 56 has made a complete revolution. )Vhile the grooving tool is operating along the margin of a sole the pawl 74 eX- tends into the depression 84 and remains disengaged from the ratchet wheel, as shown in Fig. 7, the cam 56 being idle at this time. The pawl 74 is adapted to be moved into engagement with the ratchet wheel by the action of a lever 86 which is pivoted at 88 to the frame part 64 and the shorter arm of which carries the feeler 58. As shown, the feeler 58 is secured to the lever arm by means of a screw 90 (Fig. 5) which extends through an elongated slot 92 in the lever arm and is threaded into the feeler, this arrangement permitting adjustment of the feeler toward and from the grooving tool to vary the distance from the toe end of the sole at which the stitch-receiving groove is to be terminated. A rib 94 on the feeler is received in a a corresponding groove in the lever arm and functions to prevent lateral or twisting displacement of the feeler. The longer arm of the lever 86 is formed with a shoulder 96 adapted to engage the pawl 74 to raise the latter into engagement with the ratchet wheel 78, as shown in Fig. 8, when the sole is fed from beneath the feeler 58, thus permitting the feeler to drop below the plane of the sole and causing the longer arm of the lever 86 to swing upwardly to engage the pawl 74 with the ratchet wheel 78. As soon as the pawl 74 is engaged with the ratchet wheel 78 the pawl begins to rotate with the ratchet wheel and the driven shaft 34. This movement of the pawl causes the outer edge of the pawl to ride over the cylindrical wall 82 of the recess 80 and the wall 82 serves to retain the pawl in engagement with the ratchet wheel until the pawl again reaches a position opposite the depression 84 after the pawl and the cam 56 have made a complete revolution. In order adequately to support the portion of the sole which is be neath the feeler so that it will hold the feeler in raised position a stationary table 100 (Fig. 1) is secured to a portion of the head 12, the table being offset from the path of swinging movement of the feeler so as not to interfere with the movement of the latter.

After the grooving tool has been raised by the action of the cam 56, it is held by the cam in raised position until the channeling operation has proceeded around the tip of the toe and rearwardly to the point at which it is desired to again commence the grooving operation, at which time the cam 56 permits the grooving tool to be lowered. In order that the point where the grooving is to begin at the side of the sole last to be operated upon may be varied in accordance with variations in sizes and styles of soles or otherwise as may be desired, the cam 56 is so contructed that its contour may be adjusted to vary the length of time it is effective to hold the grooving tool in this raised position. To this end, the cam 56 is made in two parts consisting of a disk 102 and a disk 104 (Fig. 5), the two disks being assembled in side-by-side relationwith the disk 104 mounted to turn upon a hub 106 formed on the disk 102. The cam disks 102 and 104 are formed with similar projections 108 and 110, respectively, and when the cams are radially positioned with the projections 108 and 110 in alinement, as shown in Fig. 5, the cam is set to maintain the grooving tool in its raised position for a minimum period of time. By relative angular adjustment of the cam disks 102 and 104 so as relatively to offset the cam projections 108 110, the cam may be adjusted to vary the length of time the grooving tool is to be maintained in raised or inoperative position. In order to provide for convenient adjustment of the cam disks 102104 to vary the action of the cam, and in order to provide means for maintaining the cam disks in adjusted position, a ring 112 (Fig. 5) formed with inter nal gear teeth 114 is rigidly secured to the outer face of the cam disk 104 and a pinion 116 is arranged to mesh with the teeth 114 for the purpose of turning the cam disk 104 relatively to the cam disk 102. As shown, the pinion 116 is fast upon a stud 118 one end of which extend through an arcu ate slot 119 (Fig. 3) in the cam disk 104 and is journaled in an aperture in the cam disk 102. The other end of the stud 118 extends through a disk 120 which is mounted on the outer end of the shaft 34 and is held in place by the head of a screw 122 which is threaded into the end of the shaft. The pinion 116 is adapted to be turned by means of a knurled head 124 on the end of the stud 118 outside of the disk 120. The side of the head 124 is provided with a series of flattened faces 126 (Fig. 5) adapted to be engaged by one end of a spring linger 1.28, the opposite end of which is anchored to the disk 120, the engagement of the spring finger 128 with one of the flattened faces 126 serving to prevent accidental turning of the pinion 116, thus serving to lock the cam disk 110 in adjusted position.

After the feeler 58 has been permitted to drop below the plane of the sole by the withdrawal of the toe end of the sole from beneath the feeler the sole isswi'ing by the operator to cause the channeling operation to progress around the point of the toe, and before the sole can be swung into position for channeling and grooving along the opposite side of the sole margin it is necessary that the feeler should be lifted above the plane of the sole. The downward movement of the slide 60 is utilizedto raise the feeler at this time and to this end a pin 130 (Fig. 5) projects from the slide 60 beneath the shorter arm of a lever 132 which is pivoted at 184 to the frame part 64. The longer arm of the lever 182 is connected by a link 136 with the longer arm of the feeler lever 86. A spring 138 fastened at one end to the frame part 64 and at the opposite end to the link 136 tends to hold the feeler yieldingly in engagement with the work. When the slide 60 is raised by the cam 56 to raise the grooving knife the pin 180 rocks the lever 1.32 in a direction to raise the feeler 58 from lowered position to a raised position above the path of feed of the work. The slide 60 is held in raised position by the cam 56 until the channeling has progressed around the toe during which time the sole has been turned end-for-end by the operator and the sole margin at the opposite side of the toe is positioned beneath the feeler 58, and consequently the feelor is positively held in raised position throughout this period."

lVhen the cam permits the slide 60 and the pin 130 to be lowered, the feeler is pressed by the spring 138 against the surface of the sole.

After the grooving knife has been lowered into position to continue the groove at a point beyond the toe of the sole it is necessary to disengage the pawl 7 4 from the ratchet wheel 78 so that the rotation of the cam 56 will be arrested with the cam in position to raise the grooving knife as soon as the cam is again connected with the driving shaft during the feeding of the next sole to be operated upon. The pawl 74 is arranged to be disengaged from the ratchet wheel 7 8 through the'action of a spiingpressed finger 142 which is pivoted at 144 to a ring-shaped carrier 146 (best shown in Fig. 5) arranged to encircle the shaft 34 between the ratchet wheel 78 and the rear wall of the recess 80 in the frame member 64. Normally the finger 142 is yieldingly held by a spring 148 in the path of a roll 150 carried by the pawl 74. When, during the travel of the pawl 74 around the shaft 34, the roll 150 engages the finger 142, the latter will yield to permit the passage of the roll beneath it until the roll reaches a position opposite the depression 84, at which time the springpressed finger 142 will function to disengage the pawl from the ratchet wheel, moving the pawl into the normal idle position in which it is shown in Fig. 7.

In order to adapt the machine for forming a stitch-receiving groove around the toe of a sol when desired, treadle-operated mechanism is provided for raisingthe feeler 58 out of engagement with the sole and thereby rendering ineffective the automatic mechanism for raising and lowering the grooving tool. For this purpose a lever 154 is shown as pivoted to a suitable portion of the head 14 and arranged with one end of the lever projecting into a slot 156 in the lever 132.

The opposite end of the lever 154 is engaged by the upper extremity of an upright slide 158 suitably mounted upon the frame 12 and the lower end of the slide 158 is engaged by a second lever 160 pivoted upon the head 14, and connected with a rod 162 which in turn may be connected with a suitable treadle (not shown) the arrangement being such that depression of the treadle will rock the levers 160 and 154 so as to move downwardly the longer arms of the levers 132 and 86, thereby raising the feeler 58 above the plane of the work. If desired this treadle mechanism may be operated merely to delay the dropping of the feeler after the toe of the sole has been fed beyond the feeler and thereby to vary the locations of the ends of the groove relatively to the tip of the toe of the sole.

The various stages in the operation of the machine have been indicated in the fore-' going description but the sequence of operations may be briefly summarized as follows. A sole is introduced into the mach-me by inserting the margin at the heel end of the sole between the lower feed roll 30 and the presser foot 40 and between the table 100 and the feeder 58, and the shaft 18 is clutched to the driving pulley 22 thereby starting the feeding of the sole. At this time both the channel knife and the grooving tool are operatively positioned and each begins to operate at the start of the feed movement of the sole. The feeler 58 is yieldingly pressed downwardly against the upper surface of the sole and is positively held in its raised position by the sole which, in turn, is supported by the table 100 in the immediate vicinity of the feeler. When the toe end of the sole has been fed past the feeler the latter will drop into the position in which it appears in Fig. 8, whereupon the feeler lever 86 will rock the pawl 7 4 into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 7 8, thereby starting the rotation of the cam 56. The pawl is thus caused to travel with its outer edge in engagement with the cylindrical wall 82 of the recess 80 until the pawl and the other parts connected with the drivenshaft 34 have made a complete revolution. At the beginning of the rotation of the cam 56 the slide 60 will be raised by the projection on the cam and, by means of the connections between the slide 60 and the grooving tool, the grooving tool will be raised above the sole so that its grooving action will be discontinued and the groove will be terminated at a distance from the toe end of the sole corresponding to the distance be tween the feeler and the grooving tool. Upward movement of the slide 60 for the purpose of raising the grooving tool also causes the feeler to be raised to a position above the path of feed of the sole so that the feeler will not interfere with the movement of the sole into place beneath it after the sole has been swung at the toe. The grooving knife and the feeler are maintained positively in their raised posit-ions until the projection on the cam 56 has passed beyond the cam roll onthe slide 60, whereupon the grooving tool will be lowered into operative engagement with the work and the spring 38 will again be permitted yieldingly to press the feeler against the work. As the cam 56 approaches the end of its revolution the spring-pressed finger 142 functions to disengage the pawl 74 from the teeth of the ratchet wheel 7 8, thus rendering the automatic groover lifting mechanism inoperative and stopping the cam 56 in position to again raise the grooving tool immediately at the start of its rotation during the operation upon a succeeding sole. The depression 84 in the wall of the recess 80 permits the pawl 74 to be drawn out of engage- I ment with the ratchet wheel by the action of the finger 142. Adjustment of the feeler 58 on the lever 86 may be made to vary the distance from the point of the toe at which the groove is to terminate at one side of the sole and the cam 56 may be adjusted by manipulation of the knurled head 124 to vary the distance from the end of the toe at which the end of the groove is to be located at the other side of the sole. If it should be desired to continue the grooving: operation around the toe of the sole this may be accomplished by holding the feeler 58 positively in its raised position by actuation of the treadle mechanism connected with the lever 132.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine of the class described, means for operating upon the margin of a sole blank as the margin of the blank is fed past the operating means, and mechanism controlled by the blank for withdrawing the operating means from the blank when a predetermined portion of the margin of the alank reaches the operating means.-

2. In a machine of the class described, means for operating upon the margin of a sole blank as the margin of the blank is fed past the operating means, and mechanism controlled by the sole blank for rendering the operating means inelfective while a predetermined portion of the margin of the blank is being fed past the operating means.

3. In a machine of the class described, means for grooving the margin of a sole blank, means for feeding the sole blank to present its margin progressively to the grooving means, a control member arranged to be engaged by and disengaged from the blank as the blank is fed, and means operable only when the control member is disengaged from the blank to render the grooving means ineffective to groove the blank.

4. In a machine of the class described, means constructed and arranged to operate progressively along the margin of a sole blank for feeding the blank through the machine, a tool normally positioned in the path of feed of the blank for operating upon the blank while it is being fed, and means controlled by the blank for withdrawing the tool from the path of the blank when a predetermined portion of the blank reaches the tool.

5. In a machine of the class described, a grooving tool normally maintained in lowered position to form a groove in the margin of a sole blank as the blank is fed past the tool, and means controlled by the blank for raising the tool to stop the grooving of the blank when a predetermined portion of the blank reaches the tool.

6. In a machine of the class described, means for channeling the margin of a sole blank, a tool for forming a groove in the channel, and mechanism controlled by the 7 blank for rendering the grooving tool ineffective during the channeling of a predetermined portion of the margin of the blank.

7. In a machine of the class described, a tool for forming a stitch-receiving groove along the margin of a sole blank as the margin of the blank is fed past the tool, and means engageable with the sole blank and controlled by the position of the sole blank relatively to the grooving tool for rendering the tool inefi'ective to groove the blank While a predetermined portion of the margin of the blank is being fed past the tool.

8, In a machine of the class described, a tool for forming a groove in the margin of a sole blank as the margin of the blank is fed past thetool, and means controlled by the sole blank for Withdrawing the tool from operative position When a predetermined por tion of the margin of the blank reaches the tool, said means being constructed and arranged automatically to return the tool into operative position to enable it to continue its grooving operation.

9. In a machine of the class described, a groove-forming tool normally positioned to operate upon the margin of a sole blank while the margin 01 the blank is fed past the tool, and means controlled by the blank for with drawing the tool from operative position While the toe portion of the sole margin is being fed past the tool to avoid continuing the groove around the toe of the sole blank.

10. In a machine of the class described, rotary means for feeding a sole blank by engagement with the margin only of the blank, a, tool normally positioned to operate upon the margin of the blank as it is being fed, a device for determining when the toe end of the blank has reached a predetermined re lation to the tool, and means controlled by said device for Withdrawing the tool from operative position.

11. In a machine of the class described, means; engageable with the margin only of a soleblank for feeding the blank, a tool normally positioned to operate upon the margin of the blank as it is being fed, a device for determining when the toe end of the blank has, reached apredetermined relation to the tool, and means cbhtrblled by said device for withdrawing the tool from operative posi: tion and for returning the device into operative position;

12. In a machine of the class described, means for supporting and feeding a sole blank, a grooving tool normally positioned to forma groove along the margin of the blank as the margin is fed past the tool, a

feelefr arranged to ride along one side of the blank in advance of said tool until the toe portion of the blank reaches the tool and then to be displaced relatively to the path of the blank, and means rendered operative by the displacement of the feeler for withdrawing the tool from operative position.

1'3. In a machine of the class described, means i'or supporting and feeding a' sole blank, a grooving tool normally positioned to form a groove al'o'n ghflm margin of the blank as the margin is fed past the tool, a feeler arranged to ride along one side of the blank inadvance'of said tool until the toe portion of the blank reaches the tool and then to be displaced relatively to the path of the blank, andv means rendered operative by the displacement of the feeler for withdrawing the tool from operative position and for returning the tool to operative position.

14. In 'a machine oi the class described, a grooving tool normally positioned to form a a groove along the margin of a blank, means for supporting the blank in proximity to the grooving tool and for feeding the blank to advance its margin progressively past the tool, a feeler arranged to ride along one side of the blank in advance of said tool until one end of the blank is fed beyond the feeler and then to be displaced "from normal position, means for supporting the blank in the vicinity of the feeler, and means rendered operative by displacement of the feeler for withdrawing the tool from operative position.

15. Ina machine of the class described, means for supporting and, feeding a sole blank, a tool normally positioned to form a groove along the margin of the blank as the blank is fed, a feeler arranged to ride along one side of the blank in advance of the tool and to be displaced when the blank has been fed past the feeler, mechanism for-withdrawing the tool from operative position, a normally idle actuator for said mechan sm, a driven shaft, and means rendered effective by the displacement of the 'l'eeler for connecting the actuator with the driven shaft.

16. In a machine of the class described, means for feeding a sole blank, a tool normally positioned in the path of the blank for forming a groove along the margin of the blank, and means controlled the blank for withdrawing the tool from the path ot the blank and for projecting the tool again 1nto the path of the blank, said means including a cam capable of being adjusted to vary its action upon the tool.

17; In a machine of the class described, means for feeding a sole blank, a tool normally positioned in the path of the blank for forming a groove along the margin of the blank, and means controlled by the blank for withdrawing the tool from the path of the blank and for projecting the tool again into the path of the blank, said means including a cam capable of being adjusted to vary the timing of the return movement oi the tool.

18. In a machine of the class described, means for feeding a sole blank, a tool normally positioned in the path of the blank for forming a groove along the margin of the blank, means controlled by the blank for withdrawing the tool from the path of the blanka-nd for projecting the tool again into the path of the blank, said means including a cam capable of being adjusted to vary its action upon the tool, and means for adjusting the contour of the cam to vary the length of time the tool is maintained Withdrawn from the path of the blank.

19. In a machine of the class described, means for feeding a sole blank, a tool for forming a groove in the blank, means for withdrawing the tool from the blank while the blank is being fed, and mechanism normally maintained inoperative by the presence of a blank in the machine for controlling the operation of said means in accordance with the position of the blank relatively to the tool.

20. In a machine of the class described, means for feeding a sole blank, a tool for forming a groove in the blank, means for rendering the tool inoperative while the work is being fed, mechanism controlled by the work for operating said means, and operatorcontrolled means for rendering said mechanism inoperative.

21. In a machine of the class described, means for feeding a sole blank, a tool for forming a groove in the blank, means for withdrawing the tool from the blank while the blank is being fed, a feeler normally supported by the blank, mechanism controlled by the feeler for controlling the operation of said means, and operator-controlled means for maintaining the feeler out of engagement with the blank.

22. In a machine of the class described, a grooving tool normally positioned for operation upon a sole blank, means for feeding the margin of the blank progressively pastthe tool, a driven shaft, a rotatable but normally idle cam, connections between the cam and the tool for withdrawing the tool from operative position and for returning the tool to operative position, normally disengaged clutch members for connecting the cam with the shaft, a feeler normally maintained in yielding engagement with the surface of the blank in advance of the grooving tool and adapted to be moved into another position when one end of the blank is fed past the feeler, and means operative upon said movement of the feeler to engage the clutch members.

23. In a machine of the class described, a grooving tool normally positioned for operation upon a sole blank, means for feeding the margin of the blank progressively past the tool, a driven shaft, a rotatable but normally idle cam. connections between the cam and the tool for withdrawing the tool from operative position and for returning the tool to operative position, normally disengaged clutch members for connecting the cam with the shaft, a feeler normally maintained in yielding engagement with the surface of the blank in advance of the grooving tool and adapted to be moved into another position when one end of the blank is fed past the feeler, means operating upon said movement of the feeler to engage the clutch members, and mechanism actuated by the cam for re turning the feeler into position to re-engage the surface of the sole blank.

24. In a machine of the class described, a grooving tool normally positioned for operation upon a sole blank, means for feeding the margin of the blank progressively past the tool, a driven shaft, a rotatable but normally idle cam, connections between the cam and the tool for withdrawing the tool from operative position and for returning the tool to operative position, normally disengaged clutch members for connecting the cam with the shaft, a feeler normally maintained in yielding engagement with the surface of the blank in advance of the grooving tool and adapted to be moved into another position when one end of the blank is fed past the feeler, means operating upon said movement of the feeler to engage the clutch members, and means for disengaging the clutch members after a predetermined amount of movement has been imparted to the cam.

25. In a machine of the class described, a grooving tool normally positioned for operation upon a sole blank, means for feeding the margin of the blank progressively past the tool, a driven shaft, a rotatable but normally idle cam, connections between the cam and the tool for withdrawing the tool from operative position and for returning the tool to operative position, normally disengaged clutch members for connecting the cam with the shaft, a feeler normally maintained in yielding engagement with the surface of the blank in advance of the grooving tool and adapted to be moved into another position when one end of the blank is fed past the feeler, means operating upon said movement of the feeler to engage the clutch members, means for disengaging the clutch members after a. predetermined amount of movement has been imparted to the cam, and means for returning the feeler into position for engagement with the surface of the blank before the tool is returned into operative position.

26. In a machine of the class described, a tool. movable into and out of position for opcrating upon a sole blank, means for feeding a sole blank past the tool, a normally idle cam, a driven shaft, clutch members for connecting the cam to the shaft, mechanism actuated by the cam to move the tool. out of operative position and controlled by the cam for returning the tool into operative position, meanscontrolled by the sole blank for engaging said clutch members, and other means for disengaging the clutch members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HARRIE A. BALLARD. 

